For teams in need of bullpen help via the trade market, another name bit the dust on Wednesday. The Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a deal that sent right-handed pitcher Pat Neshek to the Colorado Rockies, in exchange for prospects Jose Gomez, J.D. Hammer and Alejandro Requena. The Colorado Rockies announced official word of the trade, while FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal first reported the prospects headed to Philadelphia.
Neshek arrives in a Colorado bullpen that needed a fresh, reliable arm immediately. The Rockies were connected to multiple relievers over the past 24 hours and now land one of the better relievers available with the acquisition of the 36-year-old.
Colorado entered Wednesday with a bullpen that could find itself fairly tired as the season stretches late into the second half. While a young rotation offers many benefits, it also forces the Rockies to give starting pitchers additional rest and limit the innings on their young arms as they experience a long season for the first time in their careers at an intensity they've never felt previously.
That will add innings onto the bullpen, which performed well up to this point. Closer Greg Holland is lights out nearly every time he takes the mound and converted 31-of-32 save opportunities on the season with a 1.72 ERA and 2.72 K/BB ratio. But the Rockies entered the week in need of someone they could rely on in the eighth inning.
Neshek fills that void perfectly. On an atrocious Phillies team, Neshek represented the lone bright spot with a 1.12 ERA across 40 1/3 innings pitched. Neshek's consistent dominance on the season is no fluke either as his 1.93 xFIP and 2.63 SIERA show his skills match his numbers this season and he earned his spot on the National League's All Star roster.
The 36-year-old's ability to miss bats is what stands out the most. In his time with Philadelphia, Neshek struck out 30.4 percent of the batters he faced and walked just 3.4 percent of batters he encountered. The right-hander's 27 percent K-BB rate ranks 13th amongst qualified relievers ahead of some of the game's greats at the position.
With his strikeout rates and low ERA driven by a three-pitch mix that can turn veteran hitters into baffled rookies. Neshek's delivery, paired with a fastball that sits at 90 mph, an 83 mph slider and a changeup in the high-60s keeps hitters off balance. Even when Coors Field is factored in, Neshek can fit in perfectly with Colorado's bullpen.
The return for Neshek was never going to be sizable. He isn't as desired as the other top relievers on the market because he is a right-handed pitcher and an impending free agent.
But the Phillies did net a positive return from a player they would have lost for nothing in free agency. The headliner of the deal is infield prospect Jose Gomez.
The 20-year-old came in rated as Colorado's 21st-best prospect by MLB Pipeline in their mid-season update. A right-handed hitter, Gomez draws a 50-grade hit tool, 50-grade speed and 50-fielding ability. He played shortstop, second base and shortstop for the Rockies A-ball affiliate this season. At the plate, Gomez's performance stands out. Across 351 plate appearances, he posted a .324/.374/.437, .371 wOBA, 136 wRC+ and 18 stolen bases.
Neither Hammer or Requeno came in on Colorado's top-30 prospects list, but both offer nice tools. Hammer resides in High-A and has encountered issues after being promoted from A-ball. Across 30 innings pitched in A-ball, Hammer posted a 47/5 K/BB ratio and 1.20 ERA out of the bullpen. Upon his promotion to High-A, the 24-year-old struck out 18 batters in 12 innings but holds a 5.25 ERA.
Overall, Philadelphia netted a solid return with some intriguing prospects who could rise up the rankings with their success this season. Meanwhile, the Rockies added a top reliever in Neshek at a low cost.